Actor and reality TV star Dean McDermott will referee the Celebrity Boxing match between Meghan Markle’s brother and Henry ‘Nacho’ Luan this summer, DailyMailTV can reveal
Reality TV star Dean McDermott has signed up to referee the Celebrity Boxing match between Thomas Markle Jr and Henry ‘Nacho’ Laun, DailyMailTV can reveal.
The two unlikely heavyweights are chomping at the bit to slug it out on June 29, but McDermott, 52, says he wants to ensure a fair fight.
Luan, a close friend of Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, will be using his ring nickname ‘Nacho Extreme’ for the match, while Meghan Markle’s older brother Tom is called ‘The Duke’ in a nod to his royal brother-in-law.
McDermott, who has starred in reality shows with his wife Tori Spelling and hosts the Canadian cooking show Chopped Canada, says he has experience in the boxing ring and as a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, but admits he’ll have to brush up on the rule book.
‘Nacho, he’s got Mark Wahlberg in his corner, and Mark’s a good fighter. So I think that Nacho’s going to come out with a little bit more skill,’ McDermott told DailyMailTV of the fight.
‘Thomas is more of a swinger and a brawler. But I could be wrong, I’m just the ref.’
Thomas ‘The Duke’ Markle Jr (left) will take on Henry ‘Nacho’ Laun (right) in the boxing match hosted in either Los Angeles or Atlantic City on June 29
McDermott, who is married to actress Tori Spelling, told DailyMailTV, ‘I can keep these boys under control,’ adding that he wants the men ‘to have a good fair fight’
Should the fight get out of hand, McDermott said he’s confident he can handle the two heavyweight men.
‘I’m 6’3′, 230lbs, so I can keep these boys under control,’ he said. ‘I want them to have a good, fair fight. At the end of the day, I don’t think either one of them is going to go pro, so this is for fun and fitness.
‘Now that boxing is back in my life at 52, I’m older, wiser and I know more about the boxing game, I’m a better fighter now than I was as a young man.’
Laun, 54, has been talking tough ahead of the fight, which he says will be a ‘slug fest’.
‘I’m down for a good time, any time. I don’t have a fighting style, I just roll with the punches, one step at a time,’ he told DailyMailTV.
‘It could be a slug fest, if they wanna bust out the ten ounce gloves fine, the 16, no problem. I’ll go mano a mano, old school, I’ll go bare-knuckle too if I have to – that’s why they call me the EXTREME.’
Laun says he has started training with former champion boxer Joey ‘D Train’ Degrandis in Boston.
Laun, who is close friends with actor Mark Wahlberg and an extreme eater from Boston, Massachusetts, will fight under his ring nickname ‘Nacho Extreme’. Pictured l-r: Henry ‘Nacho’ Laun, Mark Wahlberg, Johnny ‘Drama’ Alves and Henry Penzi of A&E’s Wahlburgers
‘I’m also meeting with former champ ‘Irish’ Micky Ward who’s gonna help me out,’ Laun said.
‘I’ll be ready by the middle of May the way I go and I have my own entourage too.’
Laun first met Wahlberg in mid-1980s Massachusetts, when the Hollywood star picked a fight with him.
Despite their pugilistic encounter, the two became firm friends and Laun is now part of the actor’s real-life entourage, often acting as a driver or bouncer for Wahlberg.
The 265lbs man has the weight advantage over Markle, who weighs 250lbs, but is almost 7ins shorter at 5ft 8ins.
Markle has also been hitting the gym to prepare for the June match, but admitted to DailyMailTV that its an uphill struggle for a ’52-year-old, out of shape smoker’.
‘I’m primed and ready to get started, it’s going to be a lot of fun,’ the window fitter from Grants Pass, Oregon, said.
Markle has been hitting the gym to prepare for the match, but admitted to DailyMailTV that it’s been a challenge for the ’52-year-old, out of shape smoker’
Markle’s fighting name ‘The Duke’ is a nod to his royal brother-in-law Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex
Celebrity Boxing is a competition where two celebrities or people in the media are pitted against each other in the ring to raise money for charity.
The fights are three two-minute rounds and come under celebrity boxing rules. June’s fight is set to take place in either Los Angeles or Atlantic City.
Philadelphia based boxing promoter Damon Feldman – known as the ’16 minute man’ for giving celebs their 16th minute of fame in the boxing ring – told DailyMail.com he can’t wait to see the two men go at it.
‘For a guy Tom’s size to step into the ring with Nacho who’s also a big guy, it will be pretty cool, it’s going to be a great fight.
‘And to now have Dean on board as the referee, it’s pretty exciting.’
Feldman, a former undefeated professional boxer, dubbed the Jewish Rocky, is also producing a movie about his colorful life coming in 2020.
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